Hominy huller and washer.



J. McAsLlN. y Hommv Human AND WASHER;

(Application led Aug. 22, 1901);

(No Model.)

Nrrnn Sterns artnr muon.

lVILLIAM JOHN MCCASLIN, OF NEVCASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOIVIINY MULLER AND WASHER.

SPECXFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,330, dated March11, 1902.

Application filed August 22, 1901. Serial No. 72,921. (No model.)

@o @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JOHN McCAs- LIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newcastle, in the county of Lawrence and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHominy Ilullers and Washers; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact det scription of the invention, such as willen- `will be further presently referred to.

able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in what may be termed hominy orcereal hullers and washers.

Ithas forits object to provide for the advantageous admission of waterto the contents of the kettle or receptacle,to supply water for thecleansing' of the hominy or cereals, to provide a steam-supply, asin theseparate operation of cooking, to effect the tilting of the receptacleor kettle, as in removing its contents, and to effect the automaticretention of said receptacle or kettle in its operative position and theready actuation of the retaining mechanism of said receptacle; and tothese ends the invention consists of the combination of parts, includingtheir construction and arrangement, substantially as hereinafter morefully disclosed, and particularly pointed out bythe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a planr view.Fig. 3 is a piped cover for used with the device as a cooker. Fig. e isa detail view showing more particularly the swivel connection betweenthe overhanging and vertical pipes.

Latitude is allowed herein as to details, as they may be changed orvaried at will without departing from the spirit of my invention and thesame yet remain intact and be protected.

ln carrying out my invention I employ a suitable kettle or cylindricreceptacle l, having fixed 'to its outside, about centrally thereof, twopartially-bored journals or axes 2 2, which are preferably supported inthe central standards of a framework 3 and which Resting upon the bottomof the receptacle or ketv`tlc 1 is a spraying device or nozzle l,consisting, preferably, of a seriesof perforated radial tubes or pipeshaving connection through one of its arms with an outside steam, dro.,pipe, hereinafter described. Above this spraying device or nozzle isarranged an auxiliary perforated bottom lb, resting upon the upper edgesof upturned portions or flanges lC of the kettle-bottom and providedwith a central socketed stud 2b.

Within the kettle 1 is arranged a wire basket 5, preferably ofcoincident taper with the kettle l from top to bottom. Said basketpreferably comprises a frame formed of top and-bottom rings G and 7,respectively, the top ring being about of the same diameter as the upperedge of said basket and the lower or bottom ring being of much lessdiameter than and 'arranged about centrally of the bottom of the basket.These rings are connected bya series of longitudinal wires orbars S uponthe outside of said basket, thus providing for leaving a space betweensaid kettle or receptacle and the basket and auxiliary bottom for thepassage thereinto of the hulls, (be.

lVithin the kettle or vessel l and interiorl y of the wire receptacle 5is disposed an agitator comprising a hollow shaft 4, having radialalternating arms en and bearing at its lower end in the eylindric studor projection 2b, a central opening or hole being provided in the bottomof the wire basket or receptacle therefor. Said shaft 4 has numerouslateral water passages or openings 4b, through which the water admittedthereto, as presently eX- plained, is forced out in jets or streams intocontact with the hominy or cereals placed in the receptacle or kettle,saturating the same and, aided by the action of a solution, preferably,of potash or lye, loosening or detaching the hulls thereof. The water isthus advantageously ejected into said cereals, together with the potashor lye solution, having the effect, in connection with the centrifugalaction transmitted thereto through the rotation of the shaft and itsarms, as also explained farther on, to forcibly act upon said cereals,thus providing for more effectually detaching said hulls. The upper endof the shaft et, above the cross-bar 5, has connected thereto a beveledpinion 6a, and with .said pinion is geared, by a corresponding pinion 7a, a horizontal shaft 8*", suitably strapped or journaled upon saidcross-bar. With the angular end of thel shaft 8a is adapted to becoupled, by a sleeve 9 and a set-screw 9, the angular `end of adriving-shaft 10.

retain said kettle or receptacle in vertical or normal position asagainst tilting when cleaning and hulling the cereals, I provide a leveror latch'll, adapted to engage a notch in a beveled depending catch 1,2,secured to the under side of the bottom of said receptacle or kettle atright angles to said lever or latch.' The lever or latch 11 is pivotedat one end, preferably in a slot 13 in one standard of the framework 3,and has its opposite end projecting through an opening or slot in theopposite standard of said frame to permit of convenience of itsactuation by the foot. Said lever is automatically held in the notch ofthe catch 12 by a spring 13a, preferably secured in the last-referred-toslot or opening and bearing or pressing upon the under side of saidlever. It will be seen that as the kettle or receptacle is returned toits upright position the lower beveled edge or surface of the catch 12will engage the latch 11 and edect the actuation or depression of saidlatch, permitting it to automatically reenter the notch of said catchand lock said kettle in said position.

A'valved pipe 14, leading from a suitable source of water-supply,connects with one end of the bore in the left-hand axis or journal ofthe kettle or receptacle 1, it having a suitablyswiveled andwater-'tight packed connection at 14a with said journal to permit of theindependent turning of the journal with said kettle` as the last namedis tilted and again returned to its upright position. A second pipe 15,also connecting with the bore of said left-hand journal of the kettle,has an overhanging portion or elbow 15a, itself having a pendent pipe orarm 15", having a swiveled or stuffing-box connection 15c with the upperend of the shaft 4, similar to the like connection between thewater-pipe 14 and the left-hand journal of the receptacle 1, permittingthe turning of said shaft and supplying of water thereto, which, asabove noted, is delivered through the openings or passages in said shaftinto the kettle or receptacle 1 for the treatment of the hominy orcereals, as hereinbefore described. To the opposite or right-hand hollowjournal of said kettle or receptacle is swiveled or sleeved, as at 16, awater-tight packed pipe 16, having valved branchl pipes 17 17sconnecting with a source of water and steam supply, respectively. Asecond pipe 18 connects with said right-hand hollow journal and has anelbow at its lower end connecting with the spraying-'nozzle arranged inthe bottom of the kettle to provide for admitting steam into saidkettle, as when it may be used as a cooker, though not as at presentequipped, it being required for that purpose to remove the water-feedingagitatorshaft, including its actuating mechanism (itc.

Y Afaucet 19 is connected to a discharge-pipe 19, secured to the bottomof the receptacle or kettle 1, to pass the water therefrom at a certainstage of the treatment of the cereals or contents of said kettle.l Saidfaucet :is of an approved form, though not of my conception, and it maybe stated generally to comprise a barrel 19", with a valve 19c appliedto the face of its discharge end. Said valve is carried by the gate 20,having parallel arms 20 pivoted to the sides of the faucet-barrel, theforward end of said arms terminating in half yoke-like pieces orsections 20X, themselves extending into a common handle for said arms ofgate. Said valve is limited in its movement to the arc of the seattherefor by opposite stops 20" on the arms of said gate encountering thebarrel of the gate. Said valve is suitably held upon its seat byprefeibly a a helical or coiled spring 21, arranged upon the stemthereof, both said stem and spring being suitably housed, as shown. Itwill, be also observed that when it is desired to wash out the kettlethe valve of the waterpipe 17 is opened, allowing the water to passtherefrom through the swiveled pipe connection 16, the right-hand boredjournal, and the pipe 18 into the kettle or receptacle, said kettle orreceptacle having been tilted, as in discharging or removing itscontents.

Suitably hinged or pivoted 'to the longitudinal edges of the cross-bar5n are cover-sections b to serve in connection therewith as a closurefor the u pperend of the kettle or recep= tacle 1, the same beingsuitably held in place. The corn or other cereals to be treated orhulled are placed in the vessel or kettle with a quantity of potash orlye solution, say, sufcient to submerge the lcontents of the kettle andof the required strength to properly attack and aid the denuding thecereals of their hulls. Water is now passed from the pipe 14 by openingits valve through the pipes 14a 15 152L and shaft 4 through titsopenings into,

the kettle. The agitator-shaft is now set in operation at a relativelymoderate speed to aid the action of the potash or lye solution upon thecereals. The faucet or cock 19 is now opened and the agitator operatedat a somewhat-higher rate of speed, effecting the thorough agitation ofthe contents of the kettle, releasing the hulls from the cereals. Thehulls and other refuse all pass through the' perforated or wire basketinto the space between said basket and the kettle or vessel, passingdownward and finally out, with the drainage at faucet or cock 19, thusdisposing of the hulls and refusematter and cleansing thehulled cerealspreparatory or ready for cooking. The cross-bar 5 with gearing,agitatorshaft 4, and basket 5 are now removed and water added to thehulled and cleansed cereals still contained in the kettle. A conicalcover 20, having an exhaust-steam outlet or escape IOO IIO

at its apex, as at 20a, is fitted upon the vessel or kettle 1 and saidcontents subjected to a steaming operation or action sufficiently longto effect the proper cooking of the thus cleansed and prepared cereals,the steam being admitted by opening the valve of the pipe 17, directingsaid steam through the parts 16 2 18 and the spraying device 1,deliveringit into said vessel at the bottom.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus of the character described, a kettle or receptacle, atubular shaft vertically arranged therein and having numerous lateralWater-passages therethrough, hollowr journals secured laterally to saidkettle and suitably supported in position, a valved supply-pipeconnecting with one of said journals, a pipe having an overhangingelbow, one end of said last-named pipe connecting with one of saidjournals and the other end of said pipe connecting With said tubularshaft, and means for actuating said tubular shaft, sub- 'stantially asset forth.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a kettle or receptaclehaving laterally fixed thereto hollow or bored journals suitablysupported in position, a tubular vertical shaft arranged in said kettleor receptacle and having numerous lateral passages or openingstherethrough, a valved swiveled pipe connecting with one of saidjournals, and an overhanging pipe having one end connected to saidjournal and its other end swiveled to the upper end of said tubularshaft, and means for actuating saidltubular shaft,substantially as setforth.

4f In apparatus of the character described, a kettle or receptacle, atubular vertical shaft arranged in said kettle or receptacle and havingnumerous lateral passages or openings therethrough and agitator arms orblades, a

driving or actuating shaft geared to the up-` per end of said tubularshaft, bored or tubular journals secured to said kettle and suitablysupported in position, a valved pipe connected to one of saidjournals,and an overhanging pipe connected to the same journal and having theother end delivering into said tubular shaft, and also having a sWiveledconnection With said tubular shaft, substan# tially as set forth.

5. In apparatus ofthe character described, a kettle or receptacle, boredor hollow journals laterally secured to said kettle and suitablysupported in position, a valved steam-pipe having swiveled pipeconnection with one of said journals and a pipe connected to the samejournal delivering into said kettle near its bottom, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM JOHN IWICCASLIN.

Witnesses:

S. JAMES CALLAHAN, VVYLIE McCAsLIN.

